Urea-glyoxal crosslinking compounds for phenolic binder compositions

Abstract

Binder compositions are described that include a phenol, a urea compound, formaldehyde, and at least one cyclic urea-dialdehyde compound. The cyclic urea-dialdehyde compound forms crosslinking bonds between polymers of phenol-urea-formaldehyde when the binder composition is cured. Also described are methods of making fiberglass insulation products using the above-described binder compositions. The methods may include contacting the binder composition with glass fibers and forming an amalgam of the binder composition and the glass fibers. The amalgam may be heated to form mats of the glass fibers and binder. The mats may be processed into the fiberglass insulation products.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A fiberglass insulation product comprising:
 glass fibers formed into a fiberglass mat or batt; and 
 an aqueous binder comprising phenol-urea-formaldehyde polymers crosslinked with a reaction product of urea and glyoxal, and a polyol comprising a five-carbon or six-carbon sugar alcohol; 
 wherein the binder is formed from a binder composition that includes a base catalyst and a latent cure catalyst; and 
 wherein the glass fibers are 50 wt. % to 99.5 wt. % of the fiberglass insulation product. 
 
     
     
       2. The fiberglass insulation product of  claim 1 , wherein the base catalyst is selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, and ammonium hydroxide. 
     
     
       3. The fiberglass insulation product of  claim 1 , wherein the binder is formed from a binder composition characterized by a mole ratio of urea to free formaldehyde ranging from 1:1 to 1:1.75. 
     
     
       4. The fiberglass insulation product of  claim 1 , wherein the binder is formed from a binder composition that includes ammonia. 
     
     
       5. The fiberglass insulation product of  claim 4 , wherein the binder is formed from a binder composition characterized by a pH ranging from 8.2 to 8.6. 
     
     
       6. The fiberglass insulation product of  claim 1 , wherein the latent cure catalyst is selected from the group consisting of ammonium sulfate, ammonium bisulfate, ammonium phosphate, ammonium sulfamate, ammonium carbonate, ammonium acetate, and ammonium maleate. 
     
     
       7. The fiberglass insulation product of  claim 1 , wherein the fiberglass insulation product further comprises additional fibers selected from the group consisting of carbon fibers, mineral fibers, stone wool fibers, and organic polymer fibers. 
     
     
       8. The fiberglass insulation product of  claim 1 , wherein the fiberglass insulation product is characterized by an ordinary parting strength of at least 120 g/g. 
     
     
       9. The fiberglass insulation product of  claim 1 , wherein the fiberglass insulation product is characterized by a density of about 5 kg/m 3  to about 100 kg/m 3 . 
     
     
       10. The fiberglass insulation product of  claim 1 , wherein the fiberglass insulation product is characterized by an ordinary recovery level after compression of greater than or about 6 inches. 
     
     
       11. The fiberglass insulation product of  claim 1 , wherein the fiberglass insulation product is characterized by an amount of volatile organic compound emissions that is less than or about 1 lb/hour. 
     
     
       12. The fiberglass insulation product of  claim 1 , wherein the fiberglass insulation product is characterized by a water absorption level that is less than or about 0.5 wt. % based on a weight of the fiberglass insulation product. 
     
     
       13. The fiberglass insulation product of  claim 1 , wherein the fiberglass insulation product is a construction material. 
     
     
       14. The fiberglass insulation product of  claim 13 , wherein the construction material is selected from the group consisting of piping insulation, duct board, building insulation, reinforcement scrim, and roofing membranes. 
     
     
       15. A fiberglass insulation product comprising:
 glass fibers formed into a fiberglass mat or batt; and 
 an aqueous binder comprising phenol-urea-formaldehyde polymers crosslinked with a reaction product of urea and glyoxal, and a polyol, 
 wherein the binder is formed from a binder composition that includes a base catalyst and a latent cure catalyst; and 
 wherein the glass fibers are 50 wt. % to 99.5 wt. % of the fiberglass insulation product, and 
 wherein the polyol is present at from 10 wt. % to 30 wt. % of the total solids in the binder composition. 
 
     
     
       16. The fiberglass insulation product of  claim 15 , wherein the base catalyst is selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, and ammonium hydroxide. 
     
     
       17. The fiberglass insulation product of  claim 15 , wherein the binder is formed from a binder composition characterized by a mole ratio of urea to free formaldehyde ranging from 1:1 to 1:1.75. 
     
     
       18. The fiberglass insulation product of  claim 15 , wherein the binder is formed from a binder composition characterized by a pH ranging from 8.2 to 8.6. 
     
     
       19. The fiberglass insulation product of  claim 15 , wherein the latent cure catalyst is selected from the group consisting of ammonium sulfate, ammonium bisulfate, ammonium phosphate, ammonium sulfamate, ammonium carbonate, ammonium acetate, and ammonium maleate. 
     
     
       20. The fiberglass insulation product of  claim 15 , wherein the fiberglass insulation product is a construction material.